Tobacco use is usually associated with detrimental effects on health, such as an increased susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and cancer. In contrast to these negative findings, however, it appears that tobacco use may have beneficial effects in Parkinson's disease. Over 35 epidemiological studies, done over a 40 year period, report a lower incidence of Parkinson's disease in tobacco users. This includes users of cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco. The component in tobacco, which is responsible for this beneficial effect in Parkinson's disease, has not been identified. However, experimental studies suggest that it may be the nicotine in tobacco because it is known to interact with the same system in brain, which degenerates in Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder, in which there is severe slowness of movement, rigidity and tremor. It occurs in approximately 1% of the population over 50 years of age. In Parkinson's disease there is a degeneration of specific brain areas, which contain a compound called dopamine. It is not known why these brain areas degenerate. Current treatments for Parkinson's disease involve drugs that are very useful in the initial stages of the disease. However, these drugs only treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. They do not prevent the disease from progressing. The goal of our research is to understand why smoking decreases the incidence of Parkinson's disease. As mentioned earlier, there is experimental evidence, which suggests that nicotine is involved in this beneficial effect of tobacco. As a way to study this possibility, we will do experiments to identify the molecules in brain that nicotine interacts with to prevent degeneration of nerve cells. Once we know how nicotine works in the brain and prevents Parkinson's disease, it will be possible to design specific drugs to prevent this debilitating movement disorder. Tobacco use is usually associated with detrimental effects on health, such as an increased susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and cancer. In contrast to these negative findings, however, it appears that tobacco use may have beneficial effects in Parkinson's disease. Over 35 epidemiological studies, done over a 40 year period, report a lower incidence of Parkinson's disease in tobacco users. This includes users of cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco. The component in tobacco, which is responsible for this beneficial effect in Parkinson's disease, has not been identified. However, experimental studies suggest that it may be the nicotine in tobacco because it is known to interact with the same system in brain, which degenerates in Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder, in which there is severe slowness of movement, rigidity and tremor. It occurs in approximately 1% of the population over 50 years of age. In Parkinson's disease there is a degeneration of specific brain areas, which contain a compound called dopamine. It is not known why these brain areas degenerate. Current treatments for Parkinson's disease involve drugs that are very useful in the initial stages of the disease. However, these drugs only treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. They do not prevent the disease from progressing. The goal of our research is to understand why smoking decreases the incidence of Parkinson's disease. As mentioned earlier, there is experimental evidence, which suggests that nicotine is involved in this beneficial effect of tobacco. As a way to study this possibility, we will do experiments to identify the molecules in brain that nicotine interacts with to prevent degeneration of nerve cells. Once we know how nicotine works in the brain and prevents Parkinson's disease, it will be possible to design specific drugs to prevent this debilitating movement disorder.

Publications

Nicotine induced neuroprotection against MPP+ toxicity is mediated through a non-alpha7 receptor